Remember Tom Riner, the guy who caused Kentucky great embarrassment with a Homeland Security snafu? The guy who – along with his wife – just love trying to buy every black vote they can in Louisville?

Well, he sent out his yearly fridge magnet along with a fancy survey and a letter, showing just how terrified he is.

Here are, well, here’s the entire letter:

I count it a great honor to represent you in Frankfort and as always, I need your input on key issues. My job gives me the opportunity to represent those who are not represented by special interest groups. To focus on representing your views, I do not take contributions from political action groups or legislative lobbyists. That gives me the freedom to be one of the few voices in the House that has spoken out for you against powerful industries that are polluting our environment through mountain top removal. This year an effort is underway to remove Kentucky’s ban on locating nuclear power plants in our state.

Don’t be surprised to be receiving negative phone calls or hearing negative radio ads aimed at discrediting me this year. As “big money” increasingly becomes the dominant force in American politics, campaigns become more and more negative and personal in order to eliminate every independent voice in our legislative chambers. Depending on the special-interest groups that come after me this year, I may not have the funds or the time to answer their last-minute negative attacks against me. In the past, I have financed my campaigns largely from our personal savings. Unfortunately, I am not able to do that this year.

Since 1984, I have loaned my campaigns nearly $70,000 that i’ve not been able to repay largely because I have refused to become controlled by special interests. These groups have become so successful at trying to “own” legislators in both parties that it has almost eliminated passionate debate on their issues. One such example was the Kentucky General Assembly’s passage of what I call the “Peabody Coal Bill” several years ago. Thank you so very much for taking time to complete and return this survey.

HA!

Okay, let’s break this down: mean people are going to tell people the truth about Tom’s legislative record and the way he’s embarrassed Kentucky across the nation. Oh, and he can no longer afford to personally buy his elected office.

Click here (Warning: PDF Link) to view the survey Riner included with his letter. A letter, of course, which serves as a campaign tool… despite Riner failing to disclose that fact. He merely says he paid for the mailing himself.

Guess Tom is afraid of his opponent, Mike Slaton, who actually has a shot at beating him.